Dishwasher apparatus



Dot. 5, 1954 J. H. REIFENBERG DISHWASHER APPARATUS FIG.E.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR JOSEPH H.REIFENBERG 1954 J. H. REIFENBERG DISHWASHER APPARATUS5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1952 INVENTOR JOSEPH -H. REIFENBERGATTORNEY J. H. REIFENBERG 2,690,949

DISHWASHER APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY JOSEPHH.REIFENBERG HII YIIIHHHHHIIHII Filed June 24, 1952 ..I m\:' WITNESSES:

Patented Oct. 5, 1954 DISHWASHER APPARATUS Joseph H. Reifenberg,Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, EastPittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 24,1952, Serial No. 295,155

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a frame structure having a vat orcontainer for liquids disposed therein and adapted to be moved into andout of the frame through an access opening provided at the front of theframe. More specifically, the invention relates to a structure of theabove type, in which the vat is open at the top and the frame isprovided with a cover which is movable to close the opening in the vatwhen the vat is within the frame, and movable to clear the vat to permitmovement of the vat toward its position out of the frame.

Although specifically not limited thereto, the invention is especiallysuited for a washing machine of the type described in E. K. Clark U. S.patent application Serial No. 118,961, filed September 30, 1949, andcontemplates mechanism accessible from within the frame to adjust theclosing position of the cover in an expedient manner.

In washing apparatus of the type described in the above Clark patentapplication, the washing machine is usually installed beneath anunbroken top panel or work surface of a kitchen sink. Although theclosed position of the cover is initially set during manufacture, afterextended usage, the seal between the cover and the vat may becomeimpaired, necessitating further adjustment of the cover to restore thefit between the cover and the vat.

In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide, in astructure of the character described, mechanism accessible from withinthe frame for adjusting the closed position of the cover, said mechanismbeing further accessible externally of the frame prior to installationof the structure beneath a fixed top panel or the like.

The foregoing and other objects are effected by my invention as will beapparent from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. '1 shows a side elevation of a dishwasher incorporating myinvention, the vat being shown in partially retracted position and thecover being elevated with respect to the vat;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the dishwasher shown in Fig. 1, with portions cutaway for clarity, the vat being shown in the operative position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the dishwasher takenon line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the dishwasher takenon the line IVIV of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing, on a larger scale, thecover adjusting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, especially Figs. 1 and 2, there isshown a dishwashing machine, generally indicated lii, supported by andmovable horizontally into and out of a frame H. The washing machinecomprises a vat l2 to which hot water is supplied by means of a flexiblehose [3 having one end connected to a fixed conduit I l and its otherend connected to the vat. A motor 15 is supported by the lower portionof the vat and serves to drive an impeller (not shown) disposed withinthe vat for driving the water upwardly and otherwise agitating the waterin the vat as well understood in the art. A pump I6 for exhausting spentwater from the vat is also supported by the. vat adjacent the motor [5in a manner to be driven thereby. The pump l6 has its outlet connectedto a drain conduit H.

The vat 12 has a vertically disposed tubular wall [9 defining a largeopening at the top of the vat indicated by the numeral 20, andpermitting access to the vat for loading the same with dishes,silverware, etc. The opening 20 is encompassed by a resilient gasket 2|for a purpose which will subsequently be described.

For the sake of clarity of illustration, the frame II has been shown ascomprising a generally rectangular base 23, a pair of front verticalcorner members 24 and a pair of rear vertical corner members 25connected to the base 23 at their lower ends. It will be understood,however, that the frame ll may comprise vertical side panels connectedto or integral with the base 23. The upper ends of the corner members 24and 25 are connected by an upper rectangular frame member 26.

The vat I2 is movably supported in the frame I l by a track and rollerassembly in any well known manner. For example, I have shown a pair ofmovable horizontal rails 21 fastened to the vat and having journalled attheir rear ends a pair of rollers 28. The frame H has a pair ofstationary horizontal tracks 29 fastened at their front ends to thecorner members 2% and at their rear ends to the corner members 25. Apair of rollers 30 are journalled to the stationary tracks 29 adjacentthe front ends thereof. Thus, the rollers 28 are supported on thestationary tracks 29 while the movable rails 27 are supported by therollers 30, permitting the vat to be moved in and out of the frame I lwith a rolling action. A pair of stops 3| carried by the movable rails21 and cooperating with a pair of abutments 32 formed in the stationarytrack 29 serve to limit the outward travel of the vat.

A front panel 33 attached to the vat 12 in any desirable fashion, forexample, at its lower portion by means of a bracket 36; disposed at thelower end of the vat l2 and at its upper portion to the movable rails21, serves to close the large opening at the front of the frame I i.

In order to close the top access opening 20 of the vat during operationof the dishwasher, a cover member 35, carried by the frame ll, engagesthe gasket 2|. This cover member 35 is suspended from the upper portionof the frame II, and is movably supported by a plurality of links 37disposed at each side of the machine and pivotally connected at theirlower ends to downwardly extending flanges 39, formed on the oppositesides of the cover 35, by means of studs 40. The studs 40 are secured tothe flanges 39 as by means of headed screws 4|.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, one pair of links supports theleft-hand side of the cover, while the other pair of links supports therighthand side of the cover. Since the left-hand pair of links ismounted in the same manner as the right-hand pair of links, only theleft-hand side of the adjusting and supporting mechanism for the coverwill be described. The upper ends of the links 31 are pivotallysupported at the ends of a horizontally disposed intermediate supportmember 42 in a manner to swingably support the cover 35 therefrom. Theintermediate member 42 has a horizontally disposed flange 43 providedwith a pair of openings through each of which extends an elongatedthreaded screw 54. As clearly shown in Fig. 5, the screw 44 isthreadedly engaged in a T-nut 45 which is welded or otherwise fastenedto the upper frame member 26. The screw 54 is further provided with anenlarged non-circular portion 46 which has been shown as square in crosssection. The flange 43 of the intermediate member 4?. is held betweenthe square portion 66 of the screw and a spring lock ring 4'! (see Fig.4) seated in a groove provided in the screw immediately below flange 43.Thus, the intermediate member 42 may be raised or lowered relative tothe frame member 26 by rotation of the screw M. For example, if thescrews 46 are rotated in a direction to move the same upwardly in theT-nuts 45, the intermediate member 42 and the cover 35 suspendedtherefrom will also be moved upwardly. Similarly, the member 42 andcover 33 will be lowered when the screws are turned in the oppositedirection.

The lower end of each of the screws 44 may be supported by means of abearing lug 48 formed by a punched-out portion of the stationary track29. To facilitate adjustment of screws 44, the upper frame member 26 isprovided with an opening 43 in registry with the T-nut #35, and thescrew M has a slot 55} at its upper end to permit rotation of the screwfrom a point externally of the frame I i. The lower end of the screw 44is similarly provided with a slot or other tool engaging means 54 topermit rotation of the screw from within the frame H.

As best shown in Fig. 5, a spring detent member 52, formed of sheetspring metal, is interposed between the square portion ii-3 of the screwand the flange 23 of the intermediate member. The spring detent memberhas one end bent back to provide an active portion 53 which is biasedagainst the square portion 58 and serves to restrain rotational movementof the screw 44 except by the application of a positive force. Toprevent rotation of the spring detent 52, the detent is made ofsufficiently wide material to permit abutment of its edge 54 against thevertical portion of the intermediate member 42.

The cover 35 is biased upwardly at all times by a pair of tensionsprings 55 secured at their upper ends to the frame member 28 and attheir lower ends to a pair of respective arms 56 which extend downwardlyfrom the rear end of the cover 35 into the path of movement of therollers 28.

During a movement of the washing machine [0 to its operating positionwithin the frame II, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the rollers 28 emgage the arms 56 and move them rearwardly to effect downward andrearward swinging movement of the cover 35, as provided by the links 37.During this movement, the cover engages the gasket 2! and compresses thelatter to seal the access opening 20 in the vat. The position of theintermediate member 42, as determined by the adjusting screws M, servesto limit the maximum downward throw of the links 37, and therebydetermines the amount of compression of the gasket 2|.

When movement of the vat 42 to its retracted or loading position isinitiated, the rollers 28 permit the springs 55 and arms 56 to move thecover 35 upwardly out of engagement with the gasket 2!, therebypermitting the vat to be freely moved to the position shown in Fig. 1,or beyond, by means of the track and roller assembly previouslydescribed.

As will now appear, the cover 35 may be adjusted vertically at fourspaced peripheral points thereon by means of the four screws 44. Theadjustment of the member 42 and the cover at the factory may be readilyeffected with the vat in the operating position, by rotating the screws64. The upper slots 58 of the screws may be engaged by a screw driverinserted in the appropriate openings 39 in the upper frame member 26. Atthis time, the uniformity of the seating action may be observedvisually, since the frame I l, as illustrated, is open on all sides. If,on the other hand, the frame comprises side panels, the uniformity ofthe seating action may be checked by means of appropriate factory testfixtures. It will be noted that the adjustment is effective to tilt thecover in any direction as well as to move the cover in parallelhorizontal planes.

The apparatus is usually mounted beneath a counter top 58 or the like,as indicated by dotand-dash lines in Figs. 1 and 2. The counter top 58forms an upper wall for the upper frame portion 26 and obstructs theopenings 49 therein which were utilized at the factory to adjust theclosing position of the cover 35. After extended use it may be necessaryto readjust the closing position of the cover 35 to reattain theoriginal seal provided when the apparatus was first installed. In theevent that the counter top 58 is fixed in position and is not readilyremovable, the cover adjustment may be effected from within the frame Hwith the washing machine It] removed from the frame.

To permit removal of the washing machine 15 from the frame, the stops 3!are mounted to the movable rail 21 in any desirable manner to permitready removal therefrom. Since the stops 3| may be identical, only onestop will be described. As best illustrated in Fig. 1, the stop 3| iselongated horizontally and is fastened to the movable rail 2'? at itsforward end by means of a nut-and-washer assembly 60 cooperating with abolt inserted through an opening in the rail 21. The rear end of thestop has a keyhole-shaped opening 6|, the restricted portion of which isengaged by a headed rivet 63 rigidly fastened to the rail 21 andslidably supporting the stop member 3|. With the washing machine in aretracted position beyond that shown in Fig. 1, the nut-and-washerassembly 60 is carried for- Wardly of the frame II to a position inwhich it is readily accessible. The nut-and-washer assembly may bereadily detached when in this position, after which the forward end ofthe stop 3| may be grasped and the stop moved in a rearward direction todisengage the rivet 63 from the restricted part of the keyhole opening6|, whereby the stop 3| may be completely detached from the rail 21.With the stops 3| detached in the manner described, the washing machinemay be removed from the frame rendering the adjusting screws 44accessible from within the frame The adjusting screws are engaged attheir lower slots by a screw driver and rotated as required to restorethe seal.

The amount of adjustment necessary may be determined, approximately, bynoting the condition of the gasket 2|, and since four adjusting screws44 have been provided, a wide range of adjustment is available. Thedetent action of the spring detent 52 as the screw 44 is rotated willserve to indicate to the operator, the number of quarter turns which hehas turned the screw. This indication will be perceptible both by soundand by feel as the spring detent is moved away from and into engagementwith the flat sides of the square portion 46 of the adjusting screw. Forexample, if the screw 44 is turned a quarter turn, the spring detentwill be moved outwardly and back once, whereas if the screw is turned aful turn, the spring detent will be moved back and forth four times.

After the cover 35 has been adjusted in the manner described above, thewashing machine may be reinserted in the frame II and the seal betweenthe cover and vat may be checked for leakage by operating the washingmachine as well understood in the art. If leakage is not detected at theend of the washing cycle, the stops 3| may be reassembled by reversingthe detachment procedure described previously in connection therewith.Since the gasket 2| is highly compressible, the amount of adjustment ofthe screws 44 is not critical. Hence, one such adjustment should sufiiceto restore the seal between the vat and the cover 35.

The counter top 58 may also be removably connected to the frame thereby,upon removal, facilitating adjustment of the cover 35 with the vatdisposed within the frame, by rendering ac- 6 cessible the upper slots50 of the adjusting screws.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications without departing from the spiritthereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a framehaving a pasage in its front side, a container having an opening in itstop side, means supporting the container for lineal movement throughsaid passage into and out of the frame, a cover for closing the openingin the container, a pair of supporting members disposed within theframe, means carried by the supporting members and suspending the coverfor movement toward and away from the container, means responsive tomovement of the container into the frame for actuating the coverdownwardly into engagement with the container and closing the openingtherein, means actuating the cover upwardly in response to movement ofthe container out of the frame, and means adjustably supported by theframe and connected to respective spaced portions of the supportingmembers for raising and lowering the same.

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a framehaving a passage in its front side, a container having an opening in itstop side, means supporting the container for lineal movement throughsaid passage into and out of the frame, a cover for closing the openingin the container, a plurality of links pivotally connected to the coverfor the support thereof, a pair of supporting members disposed withinthe frame, a plurality of pivots carried by the supporting members andcarrying the respective links, said links affording rocking movement ofthe cover toward and away from the container, means responsive tomovement of the container into the frame for actuating the coverdownwardly into engagement with the container and. closing the openingtherein, means for actuating the cover upwardly in response to movementof the container out of the frame and a plurality of screws adjustablythreaded in the frame and having respective means carrying saidsupporting members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,778,642 ONeil Oct. 14, 1930 2,287,645 Spencer June 23, 19422,455,182 La Vallee Nov. 30, 1948 2,537,363 Minor Jan. 9, 1951

